Finale - Sunshine Agnès
Edwin Arnold had never been able to get the better of that girl. Not even once. He was confident in his physical strength and thought himself fairly sharp to boot. Yet despite that, he was caught in a losing streak that left him at a loss for words.
Not much had changed since that day, two years ago...and perhaps it never would.
The wave of light sent everything hurtling up into the sky. Edwin found himself suspended aloft, Agnès' hands in his. They were soft and warm as the sunshine. Her whole body shone, her cream-blonde hair flickering like white-hot flames.'Thank you, Ed. It's been fun...'
'Wait, what's going on? Where are we? Am I dreaming?'
'Haha, Ed, you're as dense as ever. Even though you won't be able to remember what happened today, there's something I need to tell you...'
Agnès smiled. It was a rare expression of pure happiness. She had never shown it to anyone before, simply because she had never been able to--until now.
'I'm a magician, Ed. This is who I truly am.'
Edwin wasn't sure if he was shocked or if he had somehow already known. Now that he thought back on it, Agnès was smart, good in a fight, seemingly knew everything, and had a sharp intuition, to boot. It would explain a lot if she was a magician.
'Hah. Well, that's Agnès for ya. Now, go fix me a bourbon!'
...If she could, she would have served him an iced tea instead, but that was impossible. Agnès was no longer in Anchorville.
Edwin was finally released from the hospital after being treated for two ribs that he didn't remember breaking. From there, he boarded a long-distance orbal bus bound for the capital. It was too far a trip for his trusty bicycle. Besides, the idle time he spent in the bus would be a good chance to plan his next move.Hux Montaigne had been arrested for the murder of Weber Hart, and Ed's investigation into Tizze revealed that her grave had been desecrated. He prayed that she could now rest in peace. Even the deadly string of car accidents had finally come to an end. Leaning against the shaking frame of the bus, Edwin thought about the future.
The people of Anchorville had completely forgotten the events of that day. Nobody knew when Agnès had vanished. Even Edwin could scarcely recall what happened that night. Every day he tried with all of his might to remember. Only recently did he manage to recollect her final words to him.
'This won't be the last time we meet. Well, so long as you don't become a reporter, that is.''Huh? What do you mean by that?!'
'Well, reporters are supposed to 'shine a light on the vague and obscure,' aren't they?' Agnès clasped a hand around the esmelas necklace she wore. Her pain was clear as day. 'You're way too oblivious of your own feelings, Ed...'
Edwin huffed. 'Well, I'm still not giving up. I'm going to become a righteous reporter, no matter what she says.'From his spot by the window, Edwin flicked through his notebook to check his agenda. Being a freelance reporter was more challenging than he had ever imagined. Brandon, in particular, had gotten frustrated countless times while training him.
'But, there's no way I can back down after hearing stuff like that from Agnès, of all people! She says we can never meet again? Well, I don't believe that! I'm going to keep on being a reporter. And make my feelings clear as day, while I'm at it!'
'Just you wait, Agnès. I swear that I'll find you!'
The wind raced across the wide, open prairie. Calvard's winds were magnificent. 'That's a real strong gust, huh?' a certain girl muttered in this very same bus, long ago, her chin resting in her hands as her cream-blonde hair bobbed in the daylight. Wherever that girl went, the sunshine would follow, just as it did when she arrived in Anchorville. Edwin chuckled softly to himself.
'A righteous reporter can only believe what he's seen with his own eyes, you know?'
The bus traveled down the gravel road beneath the vast, blue August sky.
- (END)
最終回 陽溜りのアニエス
エドウィン・アーノルドがその少女に勝てたことは一度としてなかった。少なくとも覚えている限りは一度もだ。腕っ節には自信があったし、これでもそこそこ頭も切れる……つもりなのだが、出会った瞬間から今日まで、ぐぅの音も出ないほど負け続けている。
そう、２年前のあの日から、たぶん今もずっと。
光の洪水の中で、何もかも吹っ飛んでいた。何もかもが空へ向かって昇っていく。エドウィンはその中でどうやら宙に浮いているようだった。少女の手が伸びてきて、エドウィンの両手をつかむ。その陽光みたいな柔らかい光の中で、アニエスは全体がぴかぴか光って、クリーム色の髪が白い炎みたいに燃えていた。――エド――………… ありがとう。今まで楽しかった。
――何だよ急に。ってかここはどこだ？ 夢なのか？
――ふふっ……エドは本当に鈍いよね。 ――きっとエドは今日のことを忘れちゃうけど…… でも、言っておきたいことがあるんだ。
アニエスはにっこりと笑った。それは『幸せそう』という言葉がぴったりくる、いままで見せたことのない、きっと見せられなかった笑顔だった。
――私は魔法使いなの。 これが本当の私の姿なのよ、エド。
あのとき驚いたのか納得したのか、エドウィンはよく覚えていない。でもアニエスは頭が切れるし喧嘩も強いし、勘は鋭いし何でも知ってるし、まあ魔法使いだってんならなるほどな、と今のエドウィンなら思う。
なるほどな、さすがはアニエスだ、じゃあバーボンを１杯くれ！ ……アニエスが居たなら黙ってアイスティを出すだろう。アンカーヴィルの街に、アニエスの姿はもうない。
何だかいつの間にか骨折していた肋骨２本の治療が終わって、退院したエドウィンは首都行きの長距離バスに乗っていた。本当は自転車で行こうかとも思ったが、流石に首都は遠い。それに今後のことを思うとバスの方が都合がよかった。あのモンテニューもウェーバーハルト氏殺害の容疑で捕まったことだし、墓を暴かれていたティセの身元も調べ、手を合わせてきた。もう事故が頻発することもないだろう。がたごとと揺れる車体に身を委ねながらエドウィンはこれからの事を考えた。
街の人々からは、あの日の記憶がすっぽりと抜け落ちてしまっている。１人の少女がいつ消えたのか誰も知らず、エドウィン自身、あの夜の出来事がうまく思い出せずに毎日ウンウン唸って、最近ようやく少しだけ分かってきたのだ。
確かあの時、アニエスは最後にこう言っていた気がする。
『記者じゃないエドなら、また会ってもいいよ』
『どういうことだよ、そりゃ！』
『だって記者は、うやむやな事を追及しちゃうでしょう？（胸元の
翠耀石 に触れて、何だか言いにくそうに）エドは自分の気持ちにも鈍感だからなぁ……』
フン……やだね、俺はやっぱり正義の記者になる。エドウィンは窓際の席で手帳を繰って、次の予定を確認した。独立 で記者をやるのは想像よりずっと大変らしく、特訓してくれたブランドンも始終嘆息していた。でも……他ならぬアニエスにそんな事言われたら、気になるじゃねーか！ 信じねえよ、もう会えないだなんて。……だから、俺は記者を続ける。でもって気持ちとやらもハッキリさせてやるぜ。
待ってろアニエス、絶対見つけ出すからなっ！！
風がどうと鳴って、どこまでも広がる大草原を渡っていく。カルバードの風は雄大だ。「大きい風ね」とあの日の少女も呟いた。この同じバスの窓際で頬杖をついて、陽光にクリーム色の髪をくるくる躍らせて。アンカーヴィルに来た少女はいつだって陽溜りの中にいた。エドウィンは小さく笑う。正義の記者は、自分の目で確かめた事しか信じないんだぜ？ 砂利道をゆくバスの上に、８月の青天が広がっていた。 〈了〉
Continue Reading Sunshine Agnès
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| ⇐ Chapter 13: The Magician | At the end |